Responses to PD Questions

From LiteracyTentWiki

Back to Adult Literacy Professional Development
Back to WIA Community Conversations

Subject: [PD 4363] PD Questions
From: Brenda Dann-Messier
Date: Mon Jan 11 08:24:03 EST 2010

Dear Professional Development List Participants,

My name is Brenda Dann-Messier, Assistant Secretary for Vocational and Adult Education. Thank you for planning time this week to participate in a virtual session of the WIA Community Conversations (http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/discussions/10WIA). I know it adds to your day to read and respond to discussion list posts, and I deeply appreciate you giving so much of your time.

This week, I ask that you discuss the successes and needs you see for adult education with respect to this discussion list's topic. I'm hoping that you'll be candid and honest, and that there will be an open and frank discussion on the list in this regard.

I'm here to listen, and to learn. This discussion is different from the typical discussion list guest discussions. I'm not going to react to your suggestions or answer questions. Please know, however, that what you suggest is worthwhile for the Department to consider as it forms its policy position on WIA reauthorization. Based on what I learn from the WIA Community Conversations, my hope is to be able to say what the real issues are that impact the field, our students, and our practitioners.

Additionally, I will present all conversation comments to the State Directors of Adult Education at their annual meeting in February. I will obtain their feedback as well.

If you are interested in what others are saying across the country, in addition to what you hear from this list discussion, please visit the Department of Education's blog http://www.edgovblogs.org/duncan/2009/11/workforce-investment-act-reauthorization/ . The transcripts from face-to-face sessions hosted by OVAE are linked to the blog. We will link transcripts of these discussion list sessions to the blog as well.

To start the discussion, please reply to this email with your thoughts on any of the following questions:

What are the successful ingredients needed to help teachers and programs prepare learners for college and / or work?
What do you see as some of the greatest challenges? What are some innovative solutions to those challenges?
What is needed in the next 5 years to improve professional development?

I look forward to hearing from you,

Brenda

Dr. Brenda Dann-Messier
Assistant Secretary
Office of Vocational and Adult Education
United States Department of Education
400 Maryland Ave. S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20202

Subject: [PD 4365] What do you see as some of the greatest challenges?
From: Debra Hargrove
Date: Mon Jan 11 09:39:20 EST 2010

Colleagues,

One of the greatest challenges I've experienced in providing PD statewide is ensuring that the training is consistent in delivery and quality. Our state is divided into 5 regions. Each region provides its own training. While in many cases, the same trainer travels to each region, there may be at any time up to 2-3 different trainers providing different types of information. Granted, we have very seasoned trainers in our state, it's just that there may be some differences in training content.

Florida is in the process of reviewing the AALPD PD Standards and other recommendations as we begin building statewide training programs. We currently have a Professional Development Standing Committee, whose charge is to develop a statewide online training program for New and Seasoned Teachers and New and Seasoned Administrators.

Another challenge in our state is reaching our part time teachers. Budget restraints limit many of our part time teachers from attending any PD activities. There's no money to pay for substitutes. Our state association is helping reach the part time teachers by conducting part time Teacher Academies in each region. These academies are much like a mini conference, in that there's an opening general session and then mini breakout sessions for teachers to attend. These academies are conducted generally at night, when the part time teachers have a better chance of attending.

While I'm sure there are other challenges in our state, I believe providing consistent, quality produced content and reaching our part time teachers are our most challenging tasks for Florida in 2010.

Regards,
Deb Hargrove

Debra L. Hargrove, Ed. D.
Director, Florida TechNet
Indian River State College
AALPD Webmaster

Date: [PD 4368] What are some of the greatest challenges
From: Jill Carlson
Date: Mon Jan 11 10:39:39 EST 2010

I think the greatest challenge is how one person is supposed to be a master of all this. Each licensed teacher is asked to competently teach things that other professionals specifically studied for years to do, and to do so successfully.

For example, I do not have my master’s degree in mathematics, but I am expected to get a student ready for college algebra. Isn't that the job of the high school teacher who is specifically taught how to teach that? I am not a reading specialist, but I am expected to help someone get to the level of reading that is required for college? During this time, I also have to master the English language so I can teach people who do not know how to speak English effectively, teach computer science and get students ready for a career! Yes, I am a teacher, but not of all things.

Many rural programs have only a handful of teachers. A single teacher in such a program is responsible for teaching everything from beginning ESL to pre-college level algebra for students transitioning to postsecondary education. How can one teacher possibly be that to all people? In addition, the financial incentive is not there for most ABE teachers to get more education. This is a one way road without significant financial benefit. If a teacher was to go on to get his or her masters degree in all these college level subjects, then he or she might as well reap the financial benefit of it and leave Adult Basic Education.

Jill Carlson

Subject: [PD 4369] Re: PD Questions
From: Andy Nash
Date: Mon Jan 11 11:04:32 EST 2010

Hello Brenda and thank you for inviting this input on PD-related issues and WIA.

I’ve been involved in professional development in the field for about 20 years. In response to your question, “What is needed in the next 5 years to improve professional development?” here are some things I believe are key:

An increase of state leadership funds to support paid professional development time for all adult educators. I have seen great disparity in how (or whether) various programs compensate staff for their participation in PD, which undermines the learning community and the basic access to the PD.

Support for adult education research, based on a field-developed research agenda and a definition of “research” that includes ethnographic study, practitioner action research, or any approach that makes an intellectual and practical contribution to the field. I’m thinking, for example, of the thought-provoking dialogue and program innovations that have come about as educators consider the notion of “stopping out,” based on Aliza Belzer’s very small but relevant study, while some of the larger “gold standard” studies have had limited impact on the field. One area that is in need of a large study is the relationship between working conditions (full-time jobs, paid PD, benefits, etc.) and many things – workforce stability, participation in PD, even student outcomes. Can the field meet the changing demands of adult education with a mostly part-time, often low-paid and aging workforce?

Support for the development of a collection of videotaped examples of effective practice (along the lines of David Rosen’s MLOTs collection, perhaps peer-reviewed). Some of my most effective PD, when practitioners have asked me what some approach “looks like” in practice, has been to teach their class so that they can watch/critique me, rather than the other way around. A resource of varied teaching examples would be useful in both face-to-face and DL contexts.

Thanks again,
Andy Nash, professional developer
World Education
AALPD Board Member

Subject: [PD 4370] from ccread, re: PD Questions
From: ccread
Date: Mon Jan 11 12:24:51 EST 2010

Here are some of my thoughts about this issue. They are a little disjointed, due to time constraints.

What are the successful ingredients needed to help teachers and programs prepare learners for college and / or work?

I feel that first off, we need to have quality teachers, which would mean enough funding to pay them better. I think adult education teachers are very dedicated, but they do have to eat and if we want to keep them we have to pay them better. I think having resources available, such as technology that would help learners research, use daily and just prepare them for what lies ahead would also be beneficial. Teachers also need to care about their students and instill in them a different way of thinking; motivate them, perhaps, to constantly feed their minds and overcome bad habits. They need to give students success and build responsibility so that learners will be up to the task of college. We need to challenge them and expect more of them.

What do you see as some of the greatest challenges? What are some innovative solutions to those challenges?

I still think funding is a huge issue. Also, many in the work/college arena do not understand the issues of illiteracy or poor basic skills. It is a silent epidemic which is overlooked. Many unemployed are put into training situations before they are prepared. Yet, the CareerLinks don't have the authority to say you can't attend this training until you have these skills. Higher education agencies often accept people with low skills then remediate them or try to while taking their once in a lifetime funding. There should be stricter expectations about students being prepared for college so they are successful. Again, this goes back to funding for adult literacy.

What is needed in the next 5 years to improve professional development?

Professional development can be improved by having standardized expectations for adult educators. Having flexible training opportunities to account for the busy schedules adult educators have.

ccread

Subject: [PD 4371] WIA Discussion
From: Blair, Jill
Date: Mon Jan 11 12:29:57 EST 2010

All,

My name is Jill Blair and I am the administrator of an Adult Ed program of about 600 students in central Illinois.

What are the successful ingredients needed to help teachers and programs prepare learners for college and / or work?

That's not a tough question at all, is it? I have a few thoughts...

Leadership
We need strong, qualified leaders at the national, state and local levels to help set goals and priorities for Adult Education. We also need these leaders to come up with practical strategies to help us all achieve those goals. Across the board, I think professionals in Adult Ed are often spread thin, performing duties in several areas (teaching, testing, counseling, grant-writing, administration, curriculum development, advocacy, disability services, workforce services, etc.). While I think we do an outstanding job in Adult Ed wearing all of these hats, I also think that given a chance to focus more closely on fewer duties and allowing educators to play to their strengths, potential leaders and innovative practices may emerge.

Flexibility
I know I have heard this before on this listserv, so forgive me for repeating... While transition to post-secondary and/or the workplace are laudable and essential goals in adult education, they certainly aren't the only goals. Overall, I think the NRS does a pretty good job of taking other accomplishments into consideration. I am also glad to work in an area that has some accountability and measurable outcomes. However, I think we need to be cognizant of the other, more-difficult-to-measure successes of our students: I read a story to my child last night; I solved a conflict through respectful dialogue rather than violence; I asked the bus driver for help in English. We also need to be careful that, in an effort to show NRS successes, we don't end up neglecting students who may never pass the GED or take a college class, but who may benefit from adult education in other ways.

Visibility and Respect
I remember watching a report a year or so ago on one of the network's nightly news broadcasts (sorry I can't remember which one) that covered the problem of illiteracy in America. It was a good report with reliable statistics and a look at the challenges faced by those with low literacy skills. The report talked about a couple specific community and church-based volunteer literacy programs, but made no mention of WIA or the Adult and Family Literacy Act. Most folks in our communities have no idea that our programs exist. Colleagues in our institutions often have no idea what Adult Ed does and often confuse us with Community Education and other personal enrichment classes. Suzanne Leibmann mentioned a couple of weeks ago on this discussion that more full-time staff might create a domino effect. Full-time teachers are more visible and active--> greater awareness of Adult Ed services--> better training/development for adult education professionals--> better outcomes for our students--> more respect for our field, and so on. I tend to agree with her, but as a program administrator, of course I'm going to ask "how can we afford full-time staff when grants are regularly reduced?" I guess this is where the leadership and innovation comes into play. Maybe there is "bonus" grant money for programs that have a certain percentage of full-time teachers. Maybe we have to accept serving even fewer students in the short-term in order to have more full-time staff.

I'm sure that I could go on, but I think these three would get us off to a good start.

Jill Blair

Subject: [PD 4372] Re: WIA Discussion
From: Bonnie Odiorne
Date: Mon Jan 11 13:42:17 EST 2010

I was academic director (i.e. wrote academic outcome grant narrative, designed curriculum, did assessment, and taught classes) for a combined ABE/ESL and technology preparation WIA grant in the '90s. Yes, I agree that the reporting standards do not always reflect level or functional gains (i.e. in terms of increased overall preparedness for the workforce); ours was at first a family literacy program, then an employability-oriented curriculum. We used Workplace Essential Skills throughout into which we integrated technology preparedness (a certified IT trainer taught those segments, applying the skills they were learning into technology learning units; she also did computer troubleshooting. So while I had to be a math (to my great surprise, and pointed out to me by a State monitor), reading, ESL specialist, I had at least some backup in IT, and some academic background in all fields (except math).I even became very good at computer training and troubleshooting.

Our biggest problem was recruitment: the only population that could reasonably undertake the intensity/duration requirements were the unemployed, underemployed, and those who had good reasons for being such (homeless, developmentally disabled, psychological disorders, or behavioral/social integration--oh yes, we're supposed to be psychiatrists and social workers as well!). Therefore, despite level gains, there were students who could not report an employment or entered secondary education outcome (though some did, the issue with them was the large number of non-credit bearing remediation courses they still had to take, plus financing beyond working part-time and Pell/Stafford loans). The employment outcomes were often enough those they might have gotten without our program (i.e. entry-level positions, and consequently low retention). While the WIA (and subsequently TANF training) were among the most rewarding programs I'd ever been involved in, the outcomes were not reflective of the very real classroom gains; very often the "street" or behaviors associated with lifestyle would eradicate the gains.

WIA programs should be provided with professional and/or paraprofessional support for social services/case management (when necessary, or assistance when working with those entities already serving the population). CT is a wonderful state for PD, as we had not only those sessions required for proper reporting, but conferences we could attend (the sessions dealing with LD, or psychological disorders in adult education were a godsend!).

Thanks for the opportunity to report after all these years. I can't imagine the program has changed that much, but if it has, forgive me.

Bonnie Odiorne, PhD Director, Writing Center Adjunct Professor of English, French, First Year Transitions, Day Division and ADP
Post University, Waterbury, CT
Advanced Labyrinth Facilitator, Spiritual Director

Subject: [PD 4372] Re: PD Questions
From: Kantner, Joanne
Date: Mon Jan 11 13:45:39 EST 2010

Hello Brenda, The College and Career Readiness Standards, adopted by the majority of states, significantly impacts the professional development needs at all levels of the adult education system. WIA reauthorization is an opportunity to move adult education towards 21st century needs. My testimony will focus on the implications from numeracy and mathematics domains; however, issues span across many adult literacies. Reauthorization legislation, and appropriation should address the following professional development issues and the accountability within each of the following:

1. Qualified adult education instructors. The mathematics content in the CCR standards is not a collection of isolated procedures, instead it requires more conceptual understanding for application to problems. The rigorous content requires instructors to:

a) Have conceptual mathematics content. Few instructors have academic backgrounds in mathematics and will need to develop a deeper mathematics understanding to facilitate students' mathematics learning.

b) Shift away from the independent self-study delivery tutor model (predominate in most programs) towards a group instruction method. The CCR knowledge and skills will develop from strategies of problem-based, inquiry-based, technology-enhanced instruction, and concrete learning tasks. These are seldom used in our classrooms which favor individual drill and practice of computational procedures. Instructors need training on these pedagogical models through professional development experiences which provide opportunities for instructors to be mathematics learners themselves.

c) Become educated about the cognitive obstacles commonly encountered by students learning specific content, the best representations to limit these obstacles, and informal and formal assessment techniques for guiding instructional decisions for teaching.

d) Provide of a forum for instructors to continue informal and nonformal educational development.

2. Qualified program directors at the local and state levels. Professional development programming is the responsibility of local and state program directors; many lacking formal education backgrounds themselves. Administrators need to be educated on (a) identifying the PD needs of local instructors including core content areas, (b) best practices for designing the programs to meet these needs, (c) methods for assessing the instructor learning taking place in the core content and (d) the research on the teaching and learning of mathematics to adults relevant to designing learning environments.

3. A national adult education research center/institute. There is little research to influence decision-making at the meta, state, and local levels. Funding, oversight, and an organizational structure for a center to develop a research base on adult education is needed. There is a lack of research and knowledge on (a) the teaching and learning of adults learning mathematics, (b) specific professional development needs of adult mathematics educators, (c) establishing educational guidelines and standards for college programs qualifying adult education administrators and instructors (including credentialing at the pre-service and in-service stages), and (d) the importance of technology-use within the AE systems. Answers to many fundamental questions are lacking. How does the known research on learning mathematics in K-12 apply to adults learning mathematics? What does the ideal adult mathematics education instructor (or director) look like (skills, competencies, and attributes)? What are the needs of the current adult education instructional (or administrative) workforce? What are the best methods for delivering professional development content to meet these needs? What are the appropriate methods for assessing these? How does instructor's mathematics anxiety and beliefs of mathematics impact the student-learning of the CCR standards-based mathematic. content? What methods for disseminating research to the practitioner, and in what formats, will best impact the learning in our classrooms? How do we facilitate a shift in beliefs towards these reforms?

Thank you for providing this communication opportunity,

M. Joanne Kantner
Director, Developmental Education
Joliet Junior College
Joliet, Illinois
www.jjc.edu

Treasurer, American Assoc. for Adult & Continuing Education
www.aaace.org
Trustee, Adults Learning Mathematics: A Research Forum
www.alm-online.net

Subject: [PD 4373] Math knowledge
From: Judith Diamond
Date: Mon Jan 11 15:29:44 EST 2010

I agree completely with Joanne about math skills. Math is a combination of the factual, procedural, and conceptual. Compared to Language Arts skills, the factual is like knowing how to spell, procedural is like knowing the format for a letter or the rules for a 5-paragraph essay, conceptual is what to say, when to say it, and how to get your point across to those who are reading it. One can see that all are essential, but that without the conceptual, the rest means nothing.

Number sense requires that students are able to confidently estimate basic facts. (if not instant recall). We need to help students practice estimation so that they will not be bogged down searching for a number fact when they are attempting to do a problem.

Procedures, e.g. how to do long division, are useful, but alternative procedures, which stem from solid conceptual knowledge, are just as good as those listed in textbooks.

Concepts need to be taught in conjunction with everything. No first grade teacher would think of teaching basic addition and subtraction without manipulatives "How else are they going to understand?" We lose that concern as our students grow older. Manipulatives, connections with prior knowledge, integration with needed daily tasks all help build conceptual knowledge.

Thanks Joanne, for encouraging a lurker to come out of the shadows!

Judith Diamond
Professional Development Specialist
Adult Learning Resource Center, Illinois

Subject: [PD 4374] Re: Math knowledge
From: Kathleen Kelly
Date: Mon Jan 11 15:45:44 EST 2010

This is so true. I have found that adults benefit tremendously from the hands' on approach to math. Estimation seems to be one of those extremely difficult tasks for some adults if you can't put it into context.

Kathleen

Subject: [PD 4375] Re: PD Questions
From: Janet Isserlis
Date: Mon Jan 11 16:14:43 EST 2010

Adding support for/agreement with the points Andy makes, especially around paid PD time and the need for further research as well as a recognition of the fact that practitioner-driven research _is_ an important element of professional learning and development.

Janet

Subject: [PD 4376] Discussion Response
From: Marcia Anderson
Date: Mon Jan 11 16:40:01 EST 2010

What are the successful ingredients needed to help teachers and programs prepare learners for college and/or work?

As an administrator of an agency that offered/offers transition opportunities, I believe that it is important for teachers and learners to experience success. Many learners coming to us have such little faith in themselves that at times they won't attempt even the most simple challenge. Teachers, also need to see what changes their work can cause when learners experience success. I think such experiences would provide the spark that supports both learner and teacher.

Referral agencies (and learners) should have realistic expectations of how long it may take an individual to make the gains necessary to move into post-secondary education.

I'm looking forward to reading other ideas!

Thanks.

Marcia

Subject: [PD 4377] Re: What do you see as some of the greatest challenges?
From: Fantine, Jeff
Date: Mon Jan 11 16:50:30 EST 2010

Deb:

I remember experiencing this same challenge as a professional developer and as we re-vision our PD system in Maine, this same challenge you describe has emerged in discussion. I'm wondering if you have thought about online learning opportunities for your administrators and instructors, which you didn't mention in your post - you mention "attending PD activities." One of the questions the Assistance Secretary asks is "what is needed in the next 5 years to improve professional development?" I think we need a paradigm shift in what we mean in the field by professional development and what would help with this is funding an entity the focuses specifically on professional development - maybe it is part of the research center that will be funded through OVAE although that certainly hasn't been mentioned in information I've seen about it's purpose. Researching best instructional practices or teaching methods for the field does not translate into effective professional development. Therefore, I think our field needs a meaningful investment in professional development - including what it means, how best to deliver and sustain it, how to customize it for varying needs just like we do instruction for our adult learners, and how to support it.

Jeffrey A. Fantine

State Director of Adult Education
Maine Department of Education
Augusta, ME

Subject: [PD 4378] Re: What do you see as some of the greatest challenges?
From: Bell, Kit
Date: Mon Jan 11 17:52:00 EST 2010

Colleagues - The question I am often asked is "How do you know that the professional development you are offering is making a positive difference in student achievement?" Providing a "non-anecdotal" answer to this question is a challenge with which I would like assistance.

Kit Bell

Los Angeles Unified School District
Division of Adult and Career Education

Subject: [PD 4380] Re: Discussion Response
From: Glenn Young
Date: Mon Jan 11 21:29:25 EST 2010

I would suggest that the key issue in professional development is training in new technologies (e-book, smart phone, and on and on) for the purpose of helping adults learners use these tools for obtaining and using knowledge.

We need to train teachers to use 21st tools, and upgrade the whole field to be better in tune with the 21st century. If we continue to just train people in what "was" we keep teachers and learners behind the curve of what "is." As learners transition into work or further education, they need to know how to use technology in general, but need to know how to use the new smart technology to be more competent learners "now."

The world has taken a quantum leap in the last decades, and adult education needs to join that leap or become more and more obsolete in its approaches and tools. Part of catching up is training the staff on the new tools and their real potentials.

Glenn Young

CSLD
Buffalo NY

Subject:[PD 4382] PD Questions
From: Jane Greiner
Date: Mon Jan 11 21:46:08 EST 2010

Hello all,

I've appreciated reading the many thoughtful contributions posted so far to Assistant Secretary Dann-Messier's questions. After just one day of discussion, it's crystal clear that one of the greatest challenges affecting outcomes for adult learners is the conditions in which adult educators work: part-time, low pay (compared to their K-12 counterparts), lack of benefits, lack of paid planning time, etc. For many, teaching in or managing an adult ed program is not their only job, and very often not their primary job. For teachers to continually improve their practice - because, as many of you have noted already, the demands of the work are broad - they need quality professional development that is intensive and sustained: a tall order for programs where teachers do not get paid release time for PD, cannot get substitutes so that they can attend PD, or do not have access to professional sharing time with their colleagues. It's an even taller order for our field unless we have a commitment to invest in research (as Andy Nash mentioned, in multiple forms) that can guide improvements in our programs and practice.

Teachers' access to PD, working conditions, opportunities for career advancement, and research are critical issues addressed in the Professional Quality Principles adopted in last month by the National Coalition for Literacy, as well as the AALPD Policy Recommendations adopted in 2005. AALPD's Policy Recommendations were created in collaboration with professional developers and are based upon what we know from research about supporting teachers in doing their jobs well.

I encourage you all to take a look at both documents in light of this week's discussion. They can be found at:

NCL Professional Quality Principles
http://www.ncladvocacy.org/ProfessionalQualityPrinciples_FINAL.pdf

AALPD Policy Recommendations and PD Policies Matrix
http://aalpd.org/priorities_pdpolicies.html

All the best,

Jane

Jane Greiner
Chair, Association of Adult Literacy Professional Developers (AALPD)
Professional Development Coordinator, ProLiteracy

Subject: [PD 4387] National adult education professional development challenges
From: David Rosen
Date: Tue Jan 12 09:10:18 EST 2010

Hello Brenda,

Thank you for asking the field for our perceptions of our field's greatest professional development challenges and innovative solutions that might be addressed through federal legislation, policy and new programming.

Here are five professional development concerns that I hope the reauthorization of WIA, and other changes in federal education and workforce development legislation and policy might address:

1. Funding for state level demonstration programs that develop Incentives for substantial, ongoing, inservice professional development for part-time and full-time teachers. Inservice professional development is critical to adult education teacher and program quality. The job description of the adult education teacher -- as others have pointed out -- demands a broader range of skills than most pre-k-12 teachers. (It includes: teaching reading, writing, numeracy, ASE subjects such as science, math, social sciences, language arts, transition to higher education, ESOL, assessing, advising/counseling, learning about students' cultures and first languages, learning how to integrate technology and teach in rich, multicultural environments, and these are just for starters!) States -- and programs -- need encouragement to provide incentives and/or rewards for adult education teachers for pursuing professional development. States need to provide more substantive professional development, more in-depth online, blended and face-to-face professional development courses that incorporate opportunities for teachers to practice, and incorporate the new skills and knowledge in their practice. Completing these courses should be part of a PD system that leads to pay incentives for teachers who demonstrate that they have the new skills and knowledge. The Workforce Investment Act, Title II, and OVAE, could support some state demonstrations that advanced in this direction.

2. Integrating technology, and supporting teaching online, specifically, more support for teachers to learn to:
a. integrate technology well in their classrooms,
b. teach students computer and Internet basics (technology comfort and competence),
c. teach students with specific reading disabilities how to "aud", i.e. to use technology to get meaning from print by using technology to have text read out loud, and to
d. teach in online and blended models.

3. Support for development of national innovative online learning models: national support for maintenance and further development of innovative online and blended learning models such as the Learner Web and USALearns. Federal funding to support the further development of these kinds of models that are made available free to adult learners who are studying on their own, or who are supplementing learning in classes, is critical for the models' growth and their maintenance of quality.

4. Support in the legislation for the AALPD Professional Development standards

5. Support for a free national library of authentic adult education classroom and tutoring videos that can be used for online professional development

David J. Rosen
DJRosen at theworld.com

Subject: [PD 4388] Online learning and PD
From: Debra Hargrove
Date: Tue Jan 12 10:04:31 EST 2010

Jeff,

I agree with you that online PD is an emerging delivery system, and have to say that we currently offer over 30 online courses for PD credit in Florida. What's missing from our menu though, is money to reevaluate what we currently have, to update the resources to meet the current needs of our teachers and administrators. To give them the tools to keep up with what their students are using.

Technology is exploding exponentially and what was once an online course that you completed on your computer must now be revamped to include alternate sources of technology, such as Cell phones, PDA's, Netbooks, Ipods, Flip Cameras, etc. It's not good enough, in my humble opinion, to create an online course that has links to stuff outside the course, or online quizzes to complete. We need to really step up and create dynamic online PD that mirrors what our students and colleagues are experiencing and learning with every day. I hoping that OVAE will consider these needs and assist all states in developing these types of online PD.

Deb

Debra L. Hargrove, Ed. D.
Director, Florida TechNet
Indian River State College
AALPD Webmaster
Lithia, Fl

Subject: [PD 4390] Re: Online learning and PD
From: Fantine, Jeff
Date: Tue Jan 12 11:02:37 EST 2010

Deb:

The only point I would add (or stress as I think you captured it kinda in the end of your post) that online PD opportunities be a coordinated effort at the national level - at least in my opinion. It doesn't make any sense, particularly with our limited resources in adult education, that each state around the country is spending money developing the same kinds of online PD. We would certainly get higher quality, more diverse and "deeper-level" offerings, and more bang for our buck if we coordinated this nationally. It seems with everyone developing the same kinds of things, we have a lot of basic or entry level online PD offerings, but few in-depth and ongoing - leveraged resources nationwide might help move adult education PD to a higher level.

Jeffrey A. Fantine

State Director of Adult Education
Maine Department of Education
Augusta, ME

Subject: [PD 4389] Re: PD Questions
From: Federico Salas-Isnardi
Date: Tue Jan 12 10:30:35 EST 2010

Dr. Dann-Messier:

Thank you for taking the time –and the initiative—to listen to practitioners. I am an adult literacy specialist in Texas and a member of the board of AALPD. In 21 years in the field of adult education professional development, I have not seen invitations like yours before. It is encouraging for the field of adult education and literacy in general and for professional developers in particular to engage in this discussion; hopefully together we can develop a great program. I will address two of your questions that are closely related in my view:

What are the successful ingredients needed to help teachers and programs prepare learners for college and / or work?

Whatever objectives an educational program has, one of the key ingredients of success are well trained teachers/instructors. If adult education and literacy programs are to make a real difference in the lives of students and impact the American economy, we need teachers up to date on instructional technologies, able to broaden their paradigms to include new literacies and skills for the 21st century. Teachers need intensive, sustained professional development that not only presents teachers with new materials and information but also affords them the opportunity to discuss among peers, implement with support, practice, and receive feedback. For this type of PD to be successful, it needs to be systemic with all components of the adult education system engaged in the development of a great quality adult education workforce.

Hal Beder speaks of the commitment of Adult Education professionals “to achieving a new standard” but it is important that the commitment be a “two-way street.” Educators need to see their professional goals validated, and their commitment rewarded with some level of long-term employment security including full-time employment options with benefits. Professionals get burned quickly if their commitment is not met by a commitment of their institutions

What do you see as some of the greatest challenges? What are some innovative solutions to those challenges?

Over the years I had the opportunity to direct a state-wide adult education professional development center in Texas, and later the privilege of helping design and implement the PD system for the state. One problem that we faced again and again, is that many teachers willing to engage in sustained professional development and perhaps pursue an adult education credential (intensive, sustained, peer evaluated professional development) are discouraged because of the lack of incentives. Programs don’t have the resources –and the system does not help—to offer long term incentives for teachers pursuing higher level of professionalization.

That’s why I support my friend Jeff Fantine’s suggestion that there needs to be a national entity focused on professional development that may be part of the national research center to be funded by OVAE. Such an entity at the national level should not only focus on research, but also take a systemic look at practical research applications on professional development. An entity focused on professional development could encourage the development of innovative PD options by the states. WIA should contemplate the possibility of offering incentives to the states that successfully encourage teachers and administrators to complete credentials and certificates and engage in sustained and intensive 21st century PD.

federico

Federico Salas-Isnardi
Adult Literacy Specialist, Texas Center for the Advancement of Literacy and Learning
Secretary, Executive Board, Association of Adult Literacy Professional Developers
Adult Education Consultant, Houston, Texas

Subject: [PD 4391] Re: PD Questions
From: Connie Spencer-Ackerman
Date: Tue Jan 12 11:42:14 EST 2010

Community Conversations: Adult Literacy Professional Development

What are the successful ingredients needed to help teachers and programs prepare learners for college and/or work?

What do you see as some of the greatest challenges? What are some innovative solutions to those challenges?

What is needed in the next five years to improve professional development?

I would say that one of our primary challenges is a lack of information, often meaning access to research findings, that would answer questions about “successful ingredients” and “innovative solutions.” First we lost the ERIC Clearinghouse, which was a source of such information. Then we lost NCSALL. I remember the announcement over seven years ago about research awards to study adult literacy, but, although I have searched for the information, I have no way of knowing the status of those projects or findings. Put very simply, we do not know what we should be doing if we are to be effective in preparing teachers to prepare learners because we do not yet know the content to convey through PD.

A challenge in my state is the historical reliance on part-time instructors who are constrained to work within county boundaries. I have no way of knowing the answer, but I have wondered for over thirty years what would happen if we supported full-time teachers and program administrators who would work across county lines to provide services. I have wondered what would happen if we supported one full-time instructor who could travel across county lines rather than three part-time instructors with a limited service region. As I said, I do not have answers, but I do wonder.

We have been working now for at least four years in my state to improve professional development by narrowing and deepening our professional development efforts. Next year, we expect to focus on instructional strategies (Marzano’s work), reading and writing instruction, and math instruction by offering initial face-to-face session preceded by advance assignments to get the brain ready to learn and followed by online work, Web conferencing, some form of support for learning communities, etc.

One challenge is to do so in a way that appears to the field to be systematic and responsive to their needs while also responding to needs identified by our state office. Another is to avoid the trap of always thinking that there is pedagogy and there is andragogy and never the twain shall meet. And we do not yet have a way to ascertain the skills and prior knowledge that our instructors bring to their positions. Until we do, we may be guilty of imposing a one-size-fits-all set of instructional content and professional development activities.

Connie Spencer-Ackerman

Subject: [PD 4392] Re: Day 2: PD Questions
From: Bell, Kit
Date: Tue Jan 12 11:59:32 EST 2010

In responding to the third question - what we need in the next 5 years - I would like to see a focus on the support of research that studies the link between professional development and student outcomes. When lobbying for $ for professional development, this research can make the difference.

Kit Bell

Supervisor - ABE, ESL/CBET and Citizenship
Division of Adult and Career Education
Los Angeles Unified School District

Subject: [PD 4393] Re: Online learning and PD
From: Debra Hargrove
Date: Tue Jan 12 13:58:36 EST 2010

Absolutely Jeff! I think an entity at the national level is vital to a successful implementation of technology for our teachers and administrators. I am a big advocate of sharing resources. I also think that a national initiative could take the time to design PD using the adopted AALPD PD Standards and would allow all of our colleagues access to the same quality professional development.

Deb

Debra L. Hargrove, Ed. D.
Director, Florida TechNet
Indian River State College
AALPD webmaster
Florida

Subject: [PD 4394] Professional Development thoughts
From: Alice Champagne
Date: Tue Jan 12 14:46:02 EST 2010

Jackie,

In response to the question posed re: professional development, I would like to focus on what I consider to be "innovative" in these tough economic times. A little over a year ago, several states sent teams of professional adult educators and state department staff to the TIAN (Teachers Investigating Adult Numeracy) State Leader Facilitator training in Cambridge, Mass. The end result was that each state developed a "plan of action" to provide professional development in the area of numeracy instruction to adult educators.

In my state of Louisiana, the 2 facilitators offer state-approved professional development free of charge to their colleagues. What has worked beautifully is that one facilitator lives and works in the northern region of the state while the other (myself) lives in the New Orleans metro area. This allows Louisiana to offer professional development to regional audiences, thereby saving on travel expenses. I have already trained numerous groups of adult educators at our annual state conference and have a scheduled regional training at the end of this month. Participants receive CEU's for attending these state-sponsored professional development opportunities.

Support from our state director and staff has been tremendous; however, the biggest challenge is in monetary support for even these regional PD offerings. Participants must be given travel allowances and pay for attending training. This has not always been the case in the past, however, due to budget constraints.

The renewal of WIA should include continued federal support in the form of OVAE-sponsored projects such as TIAN and SIA (Standards in Action) projects. Training opportunities such as these are, in my opinion, the only way to "professionalize" our delivery of services to this population so much in need of preparation for college and work.

I look forward to networking on this question and others throughout the next few weeks.

Sincerely,

Alice L. Champagne, M.Ed.

Adult Education Instructor/Site Manager, Boutte Adult Learning Center
St. Charles Parish Public Schools; Luling, LA

Subject: [PD 4397] professional development
From: Fischer, Valerie J.
Date: Wed Jan 13 13:24:57 EST 2010

Professional Development

What are the successful ingredients needed to help teachers and programs prepare learners for college and / or work?
What do you see as some of the greatest challenges? What are some innovative solutions to those challenges?
What is needed in the next 5 years to improve professional development?

Teachers know content areas - reading, math, etc. They do not always know about careers and job demands. Additional WIA funding would allow sites to have access to or hire career counselors or develop programs that are collaborative with partners to inform students about various careers, career planning, occupational trends, soft skills, etc. This is not a demand we can continue to put upon teachers beyond basic information and awareness. Let teachers teach. Professional development must meet the needs of the student population we serve as well as the growing curricular opportunities available. Teachers generally know what their skill sets are and are not - annual and comprehensive assessments must be part of the state plan and concentrated PD time (not just events) must be supported for growth. This inevitably means more funding ...

Valerie Fischer

Director of Adult Education
ND Department of Public Instruction
Bismarck, ND

Subject: [PD 4398] 1)What are the successful ingredients needed to help teachers and programs prepare learners for college and/or work?
From: Dominick Gagliardi
Date: Wed Jan 13 15:23:04 EST 2010

1)What are the successful ingredients needed to help teachers and programs prepare learners for college and/or work?

Minimum teaching standards and credentialing requirements are needed to ensure there are high quality professionals in the classroom. In conjunction with this, would be targeted funding for teacher mentor processes so that both the mentor and new instructor could be compensated to participate in such strategies.

2) What do you see as some of the greatest challenges? What are some innovative solutions to those challenges?

Funding is always a challenge when attempting to provide quality professional development. In Escondido Adult School, we have made every effort to compensate individuals for their participation in professional development—that is becoming increasingly difficult and next to impossible with the current budget situation. The use of technology and on-line tools can certainly be innovative and cost-efficient, one cannot escape the fact that most professional development when it comes to improving effective teaching techniques and strategies is best accomplished face-to-face, and that requires sufficient levels of funding.

3) What is needed in the next five years to improve professional development?

With the renewed focus on combining literacy training and career technical training, there is a need for increased professional development in how to establish programs such as this that can be successful and also increased professional development of teachers to work in such programs (i.e. VESL). Teachers will require training in the development of integrated curricula and collaboration models where teachers from different disciplines can work together.

More targeted funding is also needed to train teachers to work with students with learning disabilities and to assist adult students with the transition to other post-secondary or career training options.

Dom

Subject: [PD 4399] PD questons
From: Allison Pickering
Date: Wed Jan 13 15:57:18 EST 2010

Dear national devotees of adult education,
So much of what has been shared is right on. Increased funding, new methodology videos, online PD, national system, qualified teachers and management, more research on how adults learn and how to teach adults—all good. Adult education has always been the ugly step child of the educational system, even more so now. After all, you can’t eliminate the 7th grade.

However, currently, because of low pay, few potential instructors are willing to invest in college level courses in adult education. As mentioned in previous posts in spite of being critical to the health of our society, the hours are few, the pay is low. The California Commission on Teacher Credentialing is considering making requirements for an adult education credential even more rigorous. Such a move will make it even more difficult for adult education programs to hire quality teachers. There should be some way to standardize or qualify regional workshops. Gretchen Bitterlin of San Diego Community College District Continuing Education and I of Escondido Adult School (under the auspices of the high school district) have implemented a regional PD program for ESL teachers. We provide a series of free ESL techniques workshops based on the old ESL Institute videos and updated with recent research. We offer about one a month in two locations*central San Diego County and North San Diego County. We invite teachers from all over. While we have enough participants to warrant the workshops and our time, we would have more if we were able to pay the teachers to attend. Although argument can be made that PD should be the teachers’ responsibility, the reality is that since they are part-time and underpaid, few are willing to donate even more time. The workshops provide instruction and practice in critical ESL techniques.

A missing piece I have not yet seen mentioned in the posts is follow up to professional development. There needs to be structured post-workshop or class follow up whether the workshops are face-to-face or distance learning. Peer mentoring, or supervisor observation, or both should be a part of the structure to help teachers process and implement the information gleaned from the PD experience. Also, Funded internships in adult education would encourage professionalization of the field.

Additionally, we must never stop working to raise awareness about the importance of adult education to our communities and society at large.

Regards to all,

Allison Pickering
Assistant Principal
Escondido Adult School

Subject: [PD 4400] Answers to WIA questions
From: Gretchen Bitterlin
Date: Wed Jan 13 17:25:58 EST 2010

Here are my perspectives on some of the questions:

What are the successful ingredients needed to help teachers and programs prepare learners for college and/or work?

One of the critical barriers preventing learners from succeeding in college or transitioning to college is low level writing skills. Since most teachers in adult education programs are hourly employees, they don't invest the necessary time to teach and grade their students' writing. If more teachers had contracts, they would make a greater commitment to developing the necessary curriculum to provide more rigorous instruction to their students and spend more non-classroom time grading their students' papers.

Paid professional development opportunities to learn about the teaching of basic skills and writing are essential to preparing teachers to prepare their students for college and/or work.

Another critical ingredient in professional development is required follow-up so that teachers try out new strategies and receive feedback on their application of new strategies. Several years ago in the 1990s, California had one of the most successful teacher training programs ever developed - The ESL Teacher Institute. Funding paid for the following ingredients:

Development of state of the art teacher training videos on practical techniques
Training of regional trainers, which included annual retreats to fine tune training skills.
A series of Mentoring modules and videos outlining strategies for one to one mentoring for the application of new skills gained in the basic training workshops. Mentors and Mentees should be paid for these activities.

I also believe that the most successful training that results in change is face to face training. While some parts of training can and should be online, real change is more likely to come about through face to face training and practice inside classrooms with peer observations.

What are some of the greatest challenges? What are some innovative solutions to the challenges?

One of the biggest challenges is lack of funding to support professional development. Another one is getting people to apply what they have learned. An innovative successful model in California is the TIMAC project, which focused on technology training of instructors. Modeled after the "Each one, teach one" model, the project trained a core of trainers on various technology innovations. Then these trainers chose 1-2 mentees in their districts to work with over a period of several months. Then these mentees applied what they learned and did projects with their mentors to demonstrate their new skills. The project ended with presentations by all mentors and mentees to administrators statewide.

Since the future emphasis in adult education will be preparing learners for work and college, special training is needed in VESL and new instructional models, such as the I-Best model. If WIA could fund professional development activities targeted to these new instructional needs, teachers will be more prepared to meet these new needs. Since so many learners are held back because of learning disabilities, special training is also needed in this area.

Finally, adult ESL teachers are an aging group, so there is a great need to recruit young people with the proper training and also provide hands-on internships in actual adult education programs so that they learn practical techniques. It would be great if there were incentives for programs to collaborate with their local universities to recruit these young teachers..

Gretchen Bitterlin

ESL Program Chair
ESL Resource Office
Mid City Campus
San Diego, CA

Subject: [PD 4403] The Challenges.....
From: Sonia Socha
Date: Wed Jan 13 20:13:42 EST 2010

I have appreciated the opportunity to read what my colleagues from across the country have to say on this important discussion topic. Most of us would probably like to like to dialogue with each other more often but generally have no time because we are doing so much with so little (and are so dedicated to doing it).

The challenges:

1. CONVINCING THOSE IN DECISION MAKING POSITIONS THAT MORE MONEY MUST BE invested in adult education from federal, state & local budgets to pay for all the needs mentioned so far (curriculum development, research center, teacher training & evaluation, best practices, instructional technology & integration, career counselors, etc) and to ensure the development of a professionalized field that will be able to effectively prepare our growing epidemic of high school drop outs and those adults in need of English language skills for the workforce. More money to create FT positions with bens, more money to pay teachers, both full and part time so that they can actually plan to have a living wage career in adult education, more money for training and certification of staff, more money for the creation of bachelor and master programs that can be developed and sustained and available for teachers who wish to be specialists in this field.

2. LEADERSHIP - that will produce a message of importance for adult education services in this country-and one that will translate into public policy initiatives. How many states have a solid funding commitment that compliments federal dollars and that does not get cut to the bone when state budgets are hurting? K - 12 and higher education suffer cuts in tough times-but they are not treated like "stepchildren". Another example, how many states are investing the same amount of money as what the feds are giving to the state for adult education? Requiring a greater and more direct state dollar investment that goes well beyond what is in the policy now) would certainly help with some of the lack of money available that is needed to fund professional development. Ask for commitment from all Governors and State Superintendents to make adult education & literacy a priority on their education policy and budgeting agendas as part of receiving federal funding from OVAE. In turn the state should exercise leadership in leveraging local funding.

3. INVEST MORE MONEY IN THE EXTERNAL DIPLOMA PROGRAM OPTION FOR A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA - the GED program is not the only effective option-and, workforce training and transitioning to post secondary will be well served if EDP becomes a funding priority from the top. Our SBLC graduates doubled when both options were provided: GED and EDP for attaining a high school diploma. EDP is more expensive-but worth the investment.

4. LEVERAGE PRIVATE DOLLARS from national foundations to help fund professional development, new or best practice models of service delivery and a position paper that shows why there is such a great need for an increased investment of funding to build a more professionalized field-and why this is so needed in today's world of the educational divide.

5. PROVIDE FUNDING FOR CAREER/EMPLOYABILITY COUNSELOR POSITIONs WITHIN PROGRAMS - it works! We have one!

Sonia Socha, Executive Director

South Baltimore Learning Center

Subject: [PD 4404] Re: The Challenges.....
From: Steve Kaufmann
Date: Wed Jan 13 21:56:46 EST 2010

I think it is a fair assumption that less money, and not more money, will be available for adult education, literacy, ESL and other education projects, regardless of how worthy they may be. This is simply a reflection of the economy, the deficit, the existing commitment to increased health care spending, demographics and other factors.

Therefore, in looking at challenges and opportunities, I believe it is best to look at how more can be achieved with less money. How can we effectively use new technology, and the opportunities that it provides for connecting with learners, and connecting learners with each other, to unleash the potential of each learner's own desire to explore and learn independently of the classroom?

Steve Kaufmann

Subject: [PD 4407] Re: The Challenges.....
From: Ellison, Art
Date: Thu Jan 14 10:01:49 EST 2010

I agree with Steve's comments below related to the use of technology in our work but I do not think that it is a fair assumption that there will be less money for adult education in the near future.

The FY10 federal adult education appropriation which states will receive this July contains a $74 million dollar increase, most of it in the state grants line item. The Obama Administration is scheduled to send its FY11 budget proposal to Congress on February 1, only eighteen days from today. We are hoping and have been working for an increase in this budget proposal that is significantly above last year's increase. Whatever figure is in this budget proposal the adult education field will work closely with members of Congress and their staffs to either support a large increase or to add the funds during the Congressional appropriation process.

We are at a point in the nationwide advocacy efforts for adult education where the adult education communities across the country can influence not only legislation like WIA but also the funds that are committed to our work.

Art Ellison, Policy Committee Chair, National Council of State Directors of Adult Education

Subject: [PD 4406] My Answers [PD 4406] My Answers
From: Ellen Lindsey
Date: Wed Jan 13 23:01:14 EST 2010

Thanks for the opportunity to give input.

What are the successful ingredients needed to help teachers and programs prepare learners for college and / or work?

Our adult vocational training programs (in cabinetmaking and shipping & receiving) prepare students for work at high rates - 85%of graduates placed in jobs, 90% retaining their jobs once hired.

Teachers' or other staff's development of authentic relationships with local companies that have work opportunities would be the key ingredient. This requires: business-like communications, conforming to industry standards, employer input to the content of training, personal frequent communication with and visitation of specific companies, and diligent matching of candidates with jobs and follow up post-placement. We cover the "soft skills" for employment in our trainings, and they are needed, however, we find that teaching specific, technical skills for which there is a need in industry tips the balance for companies to be interested in our graduates. Furthermore, for the ex-offender or other highly-barriered graduate, the technical skills make the difference in order to be given a chance by companies. Teachers need PD in resume writing and job search technique as well as job development skills.

NOTE: If s/he who teaches the skills has responsibility for job placement, it can have a beneficial effect on results.

What do you see as some of the greatest challenges? What are some innovative solutions to those challenges?

Relapse into drug or alcohol abuse is one of the most frustrating challenges. New homelessness has recently been a huge heart-breaker. Now we rely on referrals to partner organizations in these situations, sometimes with good results, but more resources and innovation is needed.

What is needed in the next 5 years to improve professional development?

Training for wearing the many hats needed: teacher, industry liaison, learning disability diagnostician and technician, guidance counselor for recommending to adults an appropriate starting point.

Thanks,

Ellen Lindsey

Subject: [PD 4405] Day 4: PD Questions—Testimonies and Details
From: Jackie A. Taylor
Date: Thu Jan 14 09:47:08 EST 2010

Dear Colleagues,

Thank you for your contributions; Keep the testimonies coming!

I'm hearing a lot about the need for high quality professional development that must happen in tandem with supporting the conditions practitioners need to access and benefit from that PD. These conditions include (but may not be limited to) access to FT employment, paid professional development release time from class, and class coverage from a substitute. They also include the conditions practitioners need to benefit from high quality PD, including sharing time with colleagues, mentoring, coaching, administrators trained to support them in integrating what they learned into practice. Last, I'm hearing that these conditions include professionalizing the field through licensing, credentialing, and opportunities for higher education courses and degrees, and the support needed to pursue them.

Resources: You've said that we need to leverage resources to create innovations in distance PD, such as the video library of instructional practices, deeper level online PD coordinated nationally, evaluating and upgrading existing online PD to mirror real life technologies, so that states don't keep recreating the online course wheel. I'm hearing about the funding needs to improve the professional quality of the field.

I'm not hearing so much about the details on successful strategies for providing high quality PD, developing a FT workforce, providing paid PD, and the program structures needed to help skilled and talented professionals stay in adult education.

Please say more about the strategies (and related ones) above with which you may have found success. HOW do they work?

To review all testimonies posted to date, I've compiled them here:

http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Responses_to_PD_Questions

My appreciation for your dedication grows with each testimony I hear. I look forward to hearing more.

Sincerely,

Jackie

Jackie Taylor
PD List Facilitator

Subject: [PD 4408] Re: Day 4: PD Questions -- Testimonies and Details
From: Janet Isserlis
Date: Thu Jan 14 10:08:53 EST 2010

Jackie and all

Continued thanks for wrangling us, and this process, and apologies if I'm re-stating things that have been said. (although maybe, in this instance, re-stating isn't a bad thing).

In response to your invitation:

>I¹m not hearing so much about the details on successful strategies for providing high quality PD, developing a FT workforce, providing paid PD, and the program structures needed to help skilled and talented professionals stay in adult education.

- Integrate / embed professional learning into employment in every way possible ‹ e.g. staff meetings always include time not only for logistics and business but also for content: sharing, learning, materials development practitioners can share things that are working, challenges, anecdotes, strategies -- but this must happen with completely regularity in order for communities of practice to thrive in workplaces.

- Ensure that programs have liaisons to PD centers and/or their own PD providers on staff so that there's a regular chain of communication between practitioners and PD support workers. NOT monitors not compliance officers, but colleagues who can respond to questions, guide action research, act as resources, etc. As part of this, somewhere, is the need to acknowledge and work with practitioners' abilities to see that X person can be really helpful with this issue, and Y has knowledge of something else ‹ so that it's not only PD workers who help but that cultures of building capacity thrive in workplaces and people develop their strengths while also addressing areas of weakness.

- FT advocacy has been discussed elsewhere and I've no new thinking about this at the moment.

VALUE learners, value the practitioners who work with them. Do advocacy that transcends the cart and pony show/that transcends the 'success' story but really conveys the realities of working / living in 2010 with literacy challenges but with other strengths and knowledges.

Respect the learners and respect the practitioners and ensure that any statements or actions reflect that respect and do not patronize learners, bash teachers or otherwise disrespect those people working for and with adult learning processes.

Janet Isserlis

Subject: [PD 4410] PD Questions
From: Combs, Kay
Date: Thu Jan 14 11:09:57 EST 2010

This is in response to the following:

Please say more about the strategies (and related ones) above with which you may have found success. HOW do they work?

Providing High Quality PD - The State of Kentucky is revised their PD to include job-embedded follow-up from specific PD. In addition, because adult practitioners may want to continue their education, KYAE has set aside money for tuition reimbursement for college classes in addition to the PD offerings. This is one of the best opportunities our adult educators in Kentucky have had in order to progress and continue obtaining skills at the post-graduate level or to become a specialist in specific areas. I assume each state who administers their federal funding could possibly do the same to increase the skill level of their adult educators. In addition, I believe this allows our instructors to continue to increase their academic skills in the areas THEY choose as long as it pertains to adult education.

Creating and developing a FT workforce - Because of funding, I think this will be difficult to increase full-time adult education workforce. K-12 teachers don't take a teaching position as part-time teachers. They all seek and are offered full-time positions and the money is there to pay them. We do need to understand that full-time adult education instructors deserve the same. Possibly if State Adult Ed. Folks require "full-time" instructors at the local level through the grant process, this could be done. With the cost of benefits and pay, full-time instructors are at a minimum. We can hire two instructional aides part-time at the cost of one part-time instructor and be able to meet the needs of more students. It is using the monies wisely to be able to serve our adult population. I will say, at this time, because of the economy, we are able to hire more experienced and educated instructors at less money and part-time.

Providing Paid PD - There is something to be said about utilizing your staff meetings at the highest level possible. We developed instructor meetings and study circles at our local program level three years ago which are held every other week. Because of this type of PD, we were able to increase our GED obtainment rate by 153% the first year. These sessions are basically work sessions in order to develop a better program through curriculum and PD. This has been highly successful is backed by research. However, this can only be made possible when you have Directors of adult education programs supportive of any new and innovative idea. We are lucky in that respect. In addition, as a Program Coordinator who has been an instructor and continues to be an instructor, my position allows me to "coordinate" this activity. This is something that is crucial to the success of any PD at the local level. Programs need to possibly consider a highly-skilled instructor to take on program coordination for PD as part of their job. Not only do I administer the instructor meetings, I assist staff when they are taking on-line PD or cover from them when they have to be out of the office participating in local PD offerings. In addition, I coordinate and also I am the main contact for our students in orientation and intake. This allows our instructors to be "instructors, coaches and counselors" in the classroom.

Last, I encourage whomever to think about a credentialing process. Many people are opposed to this, but one of significant problems in our society is our nation does not respect this profession of adult education as "a profession". Rightfully so. As adult educators, we do often work with our local high schools and I can tell you they don't have a clue as to what it takes for us to "educate" the students they were not able to educate. We have a profession, adult education. We all need to take the responsibility as adult educators to bring quality and respect to our profession through PD and increased academic skills to better assist our students.

Kay Combs, M.A.Ed.

Program Coordinator - GED/ESL
Center for Lifelong Learning
Georgetown, KY

Subject: [PD 4411] Re: Day 4: PD Questions -- Testimonies and Details
From: Martha Rankin
Date: Thu Jan 14 11:57:24 EST 2010

Innovative use of technology can help cut PD costs.

At NMUSD Adult School we use the free wordpress.com for our electronic learning community. http://adultedmatters.wordpress.com/ I started this blog a couple of years ago (with no blog experience at all), to support our staff of 40 in collaborative professional development.

To date, our e-PLC blog has 334 posts, 644 comments (mostly from our staff of 40...but also from across the state and country), and more than 113,000 views. These powerful online collaboration tools (blogs, wikis...) are FREE! :-) They are SO valuable!!!!

http://adultedmatters.wordpress.com/

Pure life,

Martha

We share to impart, impact, improve and empower!

Martha Rankin

Lead Administrator
NMUSD Adult School
Our blog / e-PLC: http://adultedmatters.wordpress.com/
Our website: http://adulted.nmusd.us/
Costa Mesa, CA

Subject: [PD 4413] Re: PD Questions
From: Donna Pierce
Date: Thu Jan 14 16:01:22 EST 2010

Kay,

Thank you so much for your comments and I can't say loudly enough that you are right on track. I teach adult education in Georgia and we have a full time teacher in most counties to lead instruction, but still the pay is below par and there is no respect for the profession. I have been offered a "real" teaching job in public school, and have been asked if there are any "real teachers" at our adult education center. There needs to be a recognized process for credentialing adult educators and an understanding among public school counselors and teachers that we do, indeed, strive to educate the young people they failed to bring to graduation.

I was also pleased to see that Kentucky has a reimbursement program for graduate level studies. I am currently about three fourths of the way through my Master's program, but our technical school has no such program. The adult education classes attached to a university seem to have this in their package, but we just don't and I know that more adult educators would attain advanced degrees if some form of reimbursement-even partial-were available. Again, you said very well what I have had in mind as I have read these posts. Thank you.

Donna Pierce
Adult Education Instructor
Ringgold, GA

Subject: [PD 4414] from Martha Jean: WIA - A teacher's perspective
From: Martha Jean
Date: Fri Jan 15 08:51:13 EST 2010

I've been an adult education teacher for 20 years. I go to every training I can because I don't want this "brave chance to try again" to be another failure for my students. I was in the seven year, Young Adults with Learning Disabilities Project. I was trained in Wilson and Lindamood-Bell and use those methods to teach the basics of reading. I am a realist. Not everyone is meant to go to college. I try to help learners know their strengths and interest so they can make good career path choices. I use learning styles and MI to engage learners. I require at home reading and do reading groups. My students use Power Point to produce Root Word Picture Dictionaries. Students use manipulatives in Math. They read poetry and write essays. Unlike many other programs I have classes four days a week! (9 hours)

Those are some good things about my teaching experiences. But, I'm not the usual adult education teacher who stays a few years, gets a little training, gets better and better, and then leaves because financially this is not a viable occupation. I live frugally to do the teaching I love. I've worked 40 hours a week in less than half those 20 years. I've had second and third part time work.

Adult education should have full time, well paid teachers to keep that experience in programs. Our students, who did not succeed in public school, have multiple needs that require teachers with depth. What's the point of professional development for adult education if it walks out the door every 2 or 3 years? Lucky public schools, getting our trained teachers!

The benefits are huge. There will be teachers who are able to give appropriate assessments, provide research based teaching, individualize lessons, do referrals, provide career guidance, and attend regular PD events.

How? Use experienced teachers as mentors. They share their knowledge and get fulltime positions. Increase class time, childcare, transportation and counseling supports. More student success and more work time!

Thank you,

Martha Jean

GED Counselor
ABE Teacher
Community Action Inc
Haverhill, MA

Subject: [PD 4416] Re: PD Questions
From: Donna Chambers
Date: Fri Jan 15 08:55:16 EST 2010

Brenda and All,

I appreciate this opportunity to share my thoughts at this critical juncture for Adult Education. I coordinate the Rhode Island National External Diploma Program and have spent many years in adult education, specifically working with competency-based instruction/assessment. What I have read and heard lately on education reform in the US refocuses our attention on the learning, rather than on the teaching. Current research focuses on metacognition (how people learn) and how we assess for learning and understanding. Why is this theme not central to all Adult Education Professional Development? If some practices are not working in AE programs as well as we think they should, how can we creatively think about and implement ways to do things differently? How can we perform better? To me this is what Professional Development is about and no matter how much time and money is invested in professional development, it needs to be planned in a way that is thoughtful, consistent, and centered around how to get the learners to learn. Practicing appropriate learning methodology must become institutionalized in Adult Education, with time to refine and practice learning strategies.

Literature on current and proven learning theories abound. For example, learning outcomes are positively affected by the ongoing practice of using formative assessment. This to me is the core of effectively working with our students so they can advance academically. It is important that learners actively engage in the learning process. Teachers at all levels need to facilitate opportunities for the students to be aware of what they don’t know and help them determine which learning action needs to happen in order to fill in the gaps to know what needs to or wants to be learned. Yet, how many adult education teachers incorporate this process into their instructional practice by engaging the learner in the whole process?

This may seem elementary; however, formative assessment to improve instruction is quite different from traditional teaching. Teachers need ongoing professional development and coaching to develop good teaching methods, to assure that active learning is taking place, to build a foundation for proficiency, and to know when the learner is ready to move the next level. The learner must learn how to learn using multiple tools. Less emphasis should be placed on passing a test within a certain time period, and more emphasis placed on what skills and competencies are learned in a cumulative way.

Adult educators need to know at every level where the learning is leading. We need to be sure time spent with the learner facilitates active learning outside of the classroom so that goals can be met as efficiently as possible. Professional opportunities and a willingness to try new strategies will benefit everyone. However, professional development alone will not solve the problem. Professional Development needs to be thoughtful and consistent, coupled with lots and lots of communication among our peers. This will stimulate new ideas and practices, and as with all change, we need opportunity to learn and practice. The world is changing for adult learners, and for adult education teachers and administrators as well.

Donna Chambers
Rhode Island National External Diploma Program Coordinator

Subject: [PD 4417] Re: PD Questions
From: Smith, Karen
Date: Fri Jan 15 09:36:28 EST 2010

Brenda and all,

I also appreciate the chance to discuss this crucial topic.

1. What are the successful ingredients needed to help teachers and programs prepare learners for college and / or work?

Paid transition advisors who come from an adult education background
Job-embedded Professional Development that focuses on college and work transition
Student intake and orientation on a college campus to break down mental barriers about going to college
Student orientation that addresses trends in the job market, including pay scales and job availability in that specific area

2. What do you see as some of the greatest challenges? What are some innovative solutions to those challenges?

The obvious greatest challenge is lack of resources

Solutions:

"Glue" funds to support adult education program/community college/business partnerships
Workplace Education programs (adult education classes on work place sites)
Resources for transition advisors in every adult education program
Child care stipends or centers for adult learners' children

3. What is needed in the next 5 years to improve professional development?

Resources to support job-embedded Professional Development
Resources for continued Adult Education participation in Professional Development Leadership Academy experiences
Continued adjustment of PDLA to reflect Adult Education realities
Continued conferences like "Meeting of the Minds" (December 2007, Sacramento) where researchers and practitioners are brought together

Thank you,

Karen Smith

Family Literacy Program Manager
Pima College Adult Education

Subject: [PD 4418] Re: PD Questions
From: Susie Cason
Date: Fri Jan 15 09:52:33 EST 2010

Bravo!!! I agree whole heartedly. I think that Adult Ed. teachers are "the real teachers"!

Susie Cason

Subject: [PD 4419] Re: from Martha Jean: WIA - A teacher's perspective
From: MaryAnn Florez
Date: Fri Jan 15 11:45:05 EST 2010

Thank you, Martha Jean. The voice that I heard here is the voice of many of the incredible people that I've worked with and met in adult education and adult ESL in the last 15+ years: thoughtful, committed, realistic, reflective, passionate. This is another reason that people who come to adult education stay in adult education. The strengths and talents of colleagues is almost as strong a pull as the opportunities to support the learners.

I think that's another reason that providing adequate resources for PD and for growth in general for staff is so important. Sure, there's the very, very practical realities that without livable pay, access to benefits, reasonable expectations of job stability, and some sort of viable career path (and access to the means to advance in that career path), we cannot retain the talented people we have and solidify a base of consistency and experience necessary to truly advance the field and the services we provide. We also can't attract new talent to the field, to replenish the ranks as those in the later stages of their leadership and careers move on. But it's almost unconscionable to me that as a field dedicated to promoting lifelong learning and providing access to it, we have yet to adequately address the learning and growth needs of our own teachers, administrators and staffs. If we truly believe in the mission and values of our field, and we want to walk the talk and model the behaviors, we have to apply them to ourselves as well.

There have been so many legitimate needs and challenges mentioned in this past week's discussions that it's a bit daunting. Thank goodness some people have balanced that with examples of wonderful ideas and approaches to meeting those needs and challenges. The professional development challenge is just one of many in our field and it has to be put in the mix with all the others that need more resources, resources, resources. I applaud those who have made the point that it not only deserves a spot at the table but that it is integral to addressing many of the other challenges and needs that we face.

MaryAnn Florez

Director, Adult Education Professional Development Center
Project Coordinator, Literacy*Americorps
D.C. LEARNs
Washington, DC

Subject: [PD 4420] PD
From: Susie Cason
Date: Fri Jan 15 11:59:52 EST 2010

Thank you Mr. Ellison,

For bringing out something positive in what has seemed somewhat gloomy. I think those of us who have been in Adult Education & Literacy for a number of years have heard the same mantra over and over again about doing more with less money and resources and have therefore just about exhausted a good many of our "creative efforts" in working with less funds.

I think we should each work to educate policymakers (federal and state) on our successes, needs, and hopes for adult education during these tough economic times. Then formulate all these ideas we have been discussing into concrete initiatives that will improve how AEL services are delivered.

Sorry this response is a little late, but I hope it can be included.
Susie Cason
Adult Education & Literacy Director

Subject: [PD 4421] The role of technology in adult ed PD
From: Silver-Pacuilla, Heidi
Date: Fri Jan 15 14:07:30 EST 2010

Hello all, I'm responding today as a researcher at AIR, deeply interested in the role of technology to support learning for struggling students, and have learned a lot about the challenges to PD and creative solutions you suggest. As a crossover post from the tech listserv, one of my concerns is, among all the others, is how to help adult educators use technology for their own PD, productivity, and teaching.

Enhancing technology capacity in adult education should be seen not only as another learning station for the students, but a channel for PD for the teachers, as well. Many ideas have been shared about how this is happening, but we could make it more explicit. There are many, many free or low cost trainings and webinars available to help teachers learn new techniques and research findings; there are online communities for formal and informal learning and sharing; and higher education opportunities which can serve the field well if a credentialing requirement is enacted.

Working with technology as a productivity tool should be required of all of us, and we can always learn more as new tools become available. This is also a good modeling for our students who are workers and will-be workers. Every sector is continually upskilling for the digital age. Adult ed teachers and programs should be no exception.

Teaching with technology is a topic this list has discussed many times in depth and very well. It's a philosophical shift that has to be introduced and supported for teachers who are less comfortable with their technology skills. K-12 also has many fine examples of how this can be done, what becomes barriers, and how to scale up success. We ALL (K-20 education) can do better to replicate success and we must.

And, now for the crossover part: the below is part of my post to the Technology listserv, but applies here as well to support my suggestions for PD.

One of my hopes for adult education, really, is that we join the larger innovation community and take up our role as a key step in lifelong learning, and not be confined to funding through a single stream.

Our issues on ensuring Internet connectivity and broadband capacity belong squarely in the FCC conversation about bringing broadband to all and we should have a way to reap benefits from the EETT funding for technology. Our plans to integrate technology and distance learning should be included in the National Education Technology Plan being written by the Dept of Ed's Office of Innovation and Improvement. There is a very large overlap in our population with the under- and un-insured; we could contribute to the roll out of information on health care and health literacy with community partners such as community health clinics. We could be a seminal site for financial literacy and consumer empowerment education. We do not seem to be well positioned to apply and benefit from I3 or Race to the Top challenge grants. These larger initiatives' priority language rarely include adult education explicitly and this makes it difficult for programs, even those based in eligible institutions (school districts or community colleges), to be seen as strong contributors in proposals and collaborations. I would like to see a stronger interagency directive built into WIA that could strengthen some of these connections between federal agencies and initiatives. Too often we are dividing the same pie into smaller and smaller pieces in order to try something new. That's no way to encourage innovation.

Thank you for the opportunity to participate in the conversation.

Heidi Silver-Pacuilla
Sr. Research Analyst
American Institutes for Research
Washington, DC

Subject: [PD 4422] Re: from Martha Jean: WIA - A teacher's perspective
From: Rebecca Sherry
Date: Fri Jan 15 15:33:53 EST 2010

Colleagues,

I think Martha Jean made an excellent summary of the part-time teacher's position. If the economic reality is that this field is going to continue to rely largely on a part-time workforce, then I would ask that federal policies like WIA begin to institute equity measures for part-time instructors. Time and again, I have seen a substantial amount of a program's resources be directed towards its full-time staff, including non-teaching administrators and people whose sole responsibility is managing the massive amount of data required by NRS. Professional development is, of course, the prime example. Programs often preference their full-time staff for the true professional development activities like tuition reimbursement, conference attendance, and study circles. Part-time instructors, on the other hand, have one in-service per semester, and half of that is dedicated to doing your paperwork properly. I understand the argument that at the outset you will see more return on your investment by funding PD for your full-time staff (i.e. they'll still be there next semester), but what would happen to student outcomes if your frontline, part-time teaching staff were prioritized for PD? After all, the people who have the full-time leadership positions usually have a more relevant educational background for adult education - that's how they got the full-time position in the first place.

Rebecca Sherry
ESL Program Coordinator/Adjunct ESL Instructor
Women's Intercultural Center
Anthony, NM

Subject: [PD 4423] Re: PD Questions
From: Pat Bush
Date: Fri Jan 15 17:19:57 EST 2010
Let us not forget about all of those trained "volunteer literacy tutors" in the many literacy council programs across the U.S.

Pat Bush
Horry County Literacy Council
Myrtle Beach, SC

Subject: [PD 4425] Re: Day 5: Share Your Perspectives on PD
From: Anne Murr
Date: Fri Jan 15 18:22:55 EST 2010

Adult Literacy Professional Development:

What are the successful ingredients needed to help teachers and programs prepare learners for college and / or work?

Use of technologies to bring our field into the 21st century. Smart phones, online learning, text-to-speech, speech-to-text, and the new stuff that's still being developed.

Partner with business for contextualized learning as well as knowledge about what employers expect workers to learn/know. Universal design: adaptations that are needed for persons with disabilities can also be useful for all of us. EX: automatic door openers when we are carrying too much to open the door ourselves; speech-to-text for hands-free computer use More research on WHAT WORKS.

What do you see as some of the greatest challenges? What are some innovative solutions to those challenges?

Identifying adults' learning challenges and adapting instruction and technologies to assist them in meeting their goals.

What is needed in the next 5 years to improve professional development?

Ditto to everyone else's comments!

Anne

Anne Murr, M.S., Coordinator
Drake University Adult Literacy Center
School of Education
Des Moines, IA

Subject: [PD 4436] Re: FW: Day 5: Share Your Perspectives on PD
From: Karla Frizler
Date: Tue Jan 19 14:20:49 EST 2010

Hello all,

I'm the EL Civics Coordinator for Torrance Adult School in Southern California. One of my many roles is to provide professional development for our ESL teachers, so I would like to share my two cents ...

What are the successful ingredients needed to help teachers and programs prepare learners for college and / or work?

Student motivation.
Communication and collaboration between ESL, ABE/ASE, Career Tech programs, counselor, etc.
School mission that includes these goals.
Professional development for teachers that exposes them to the 21st century workplace—what are the expectations and needs? With input from industry, teachers can better prepare their students.

What do you see as some of the greatest challenges? What are some innovative solutions to those challenges?

To me, the biggest challenge is that our teachers do not get paid for any prep time. If they did, I think they would be more likely to apply what they learn through professional development opportunities. In addition, so much of what happens in the classroom is now prescribed (e.g. CASAS testing, blended distance learning, EL Civics). The teachers' creative freedom has been greatly reduced in recent years.

I think one solution could be to offer opportunities for team teaching, or at least teacher mentoring, where experienced teachers work with newer teachers (or tech-savvy teachers work with those who are less so), so that training is essentially happening "on the job."

What is needed in the next 5 years to improve professional development?

Instructional design support. No matter how many workshops and training sessions we provide to our teachers (or give them access to), they need ongoing instructional design support to integrate what they've learned into their teaching and make adjustments accordingly. Ideally, each school (or at least district) should have a dedicated Instructional Designer available to help teachers integrate new technologies and methodologies into instruction and class management.

Hope these ideas are helpful!

Karla Frizler
Torrance Adult School

Subject: [PD 4424] Discussion Thanks!
From: Jackie A. Taylor
Date: Fri Jan 15 17:26:12 EST 2010

Dear Colleagues,

Thank you so much for your thoughtful posts and contributions during this week's WIA Community Conversations here on the PD List! Feel free to keep your responses to the PD Questions coming through the end of the day today.

A special thanks to Assistant Secretary Brenda Dann-Messier for making this opportunity on the PD List possible.

Next week, I will post a summary of our WIA Conversations to the PD List for your feedback. Then on Friday, I will finalize the summary based on your feedback and submit it, along with the complete transcripts of our WIA Community Conversations, to the Assistant Secretary.

Also next week, I hope we will continue informal discussions to explore strategies and best practices for addressing some of the challenges and hopes we've raise for professional development.

I'll be offline this weekend, but back online early on Tuesday. In the meantime, keep your thoughts coming in!

Have a great weekend,

Jackie

Jackie Taylor

PD List Facilitator
jackie at jataylor.net

National Institute for Literacy www.nifl.gov
Association of Adult Literacy Professional Developers www.aalpd.org

To subscribe, unsubscribe, or edit options:

http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/Professionaldevelopment/

To post, email professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov

Retrieved from "http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Responses_to_PD_Questions"

Responses to PD Questions

From LiteracyTentWiki

Views

Personal tools

Navigation

Search

Toolbox